U.S. Security Council to Discuss Effects of Egyptian-communist Arms Deal

October 11, 1955

WASHINGTON (Oct. 10)

The National Security Council will take up this week the question of Egypt’s acceptance of arms from Communist countries and of Moscow’s offer of other forms of aid to Arab countries. The Communist moves in the Middle East are considered in Washington a threat to world security.

The State Department has not yet received a reply from Moscow on the warning which Secretary of State John Foster Dulles gave Soviet Foreign Minister V. Molotov that supplying arms to Arab governments would be tantamount to violating the “Geneva spirit,” Mr. Molotov was given this warning recently when he attended the current session of the United Nations General Assembly. He told Mr. Dulles he would report the U.S. view to his government in Moscow.

Official circles here fear that the Soviet Government will suggest that to prevent an Arab-Israel war now, the existing Tripartite Declaration guaranteeing the Arab-Israel borders should become a declaration not only of the United States; Britain and France, but also of Russia. Such a four power guarantee would hold both the Arabs and Israel in check no matter where they obtain their armaments, the Russians are reported to have hinted.